DIY Clean Plaque From Your Teeth

If you allow plaque to linger on your teeth, it will harden and become tartar, requiring professional cleaning by a dentist. Tartar buildup can lead to gingivitis, halitosis and other oral problems. Head all that off and remove the plaque yourself. Utilize some simple tools, techniques and daily dental diligence to keep your teeth healthier between visits to the dentist.

Things You'll Need

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss

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Instructions

Brushing

• 1

  Choose a fluoride toothpaste with the American Dental Association seal and apply a small amount to a soft-bristled toothbrush.

• 2

  Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the tooth surface and gently scrub the teeth with a circular motion. Work on a couple teeth at a time, making sure to clean all the tooth surfaces and the areas at the gums.

• 3

  Rinse your mouth with clean water.

Flossing

• 4

  Wrap an 18-inch length of dental floss around the middle two fingers on each hand, leaving an inch or so of working floss between your hands. Wrap most of the floss on one hand, leaving the other to take up the used floss as you move from tooth to tooth.

• 5

  Gently slide the floss down between a pair of teeth.

• 6

  Carefully wrap the floss around the base of one of the teeth and slowly pull the floss from the gumline to the top, scraping the surface of the tooth.

• 7

  Wrap the floss back around the adjacent tooth and scrape the plaque off that tooth. Wrap the floss once around the fingers on the "take-up" hand, reposition the unused floss and scrape between the next pair of teeth. Continue the process for all of your teeth

• 8

  Rinse your mouth with clean water.